


Something New

by posteronmywall



Category: 4minute (Band), Pentagon (Korean Band), Triple H (Band)
Genre: 365 FRESH inspired, F/M, M/M, Mentions of Murder, Mentions of Sexual Assault, Mentions of Suicide, Mentions of Violence, Mild Angst, Multi, Polyamory, i'm planning for a different ending than the mv gave us, seriously what a great mv
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-02
Updated: 2018-07-20
Packaged: 2018-10-26 21:11:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 11,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10794837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/posteronmywall/pseuds/posteronmywall
Summary: Hwitaek wakes up in bed with Hyuna and Hyojong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my first fic. i was very inspired by the mv, so i decided to write something. let's see how this goes

Hwitaek wakes up with Hyuna’s red hair tickling his nose. He slowly blinks his eyes open, and tries to take in his surrounding as best he can without waking up the other person in the bed. Or, other _persons,_ as he soon comes to realize.

He can see a bit of Hyojong’s wavy blond hair when he peeks over Hyuna’s head. Suddenly, Hwitaek’s eyes are wide open. He cautiously rolls onto his back so he can stare up at the ceiling in the cramped motel room and contemplate. Something had certainly happened last night.

Hwitaek gives himself exactly two minutes to think. Hyuna and Hyojong will be awake soon, and he knows he has to be ready to adopt his easy-going, care-free persona when they are.

He tries to think back as best he can to the night before. He remembers the club, and the dancing, and the drinks. He remembers taking about an hour to sober up before returning to the motel room. He remembers opening the door to the room, and seeing Hyuna and Hyojong in a semi-compromising position on the couch. He remembers not looking away, and he remembers making eye-contact with Hyojong across the room. He remembers Hyojong reaching his hand out to him, an almost mischievous smile on his face. He remembers grinning and taking Hyojong’s hand, and getting pulled into something new.

That’s what Hwitaek is always looking for. Something new. A new adventure; the next step in his life. He can’t remember the last time he stood still. It’s as if there is something inside him always pushing him to keep going and never slow down. Stealing, alcohol, and sex are the three main factors in his fast-paced life. Sleeping with Hyuna and Hyojong in no way complicates that, but he wonders if it’s a one-time occurrence or if it might happen again. He wonders if any new development in their relationship will cause complications down the road. He has thought about traveling with his companions for as long as he can, because they’re good company. Hwitaek wouldn’t want to complicate that.

He decides that’s an issue for his future self. Let him figure out what to do.

Hwitaek feels someone’s foot shift against his own, so he turns slowly back onto his side and closes his eyes. He wants to be able to evaluate the others’ reactions to their situation without having to give any of his own input. It’s a strategic move, really.

Hwitaek smiles lazily with his eyes closed, ready to become the person he always pretends to be when he wakes up in the morning. He entertains the idea of one day telling Hyuna and Hyojong the truth, and almost bursts into laughter. He’s not sure their friendship would ever reach that level of commitment.

He’ll just have to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> got inspired again

The first thing Hyojong feels when he wakes up is a pair of feet tangled with his. _Not unusual_ , he thinks. He had gotten used to waking up with Hyuna’s body against his, both still a little sweaty from the night before. It takes him another moment to realize exactly what’s different.

On top of the soft white blankets, Hyojong’s hand brushes against another hand, one that certainly does not belong to Hyuna. _Hwitaek_ , thinks Hyojong. _Of course._

Hyojong smiles as he thinks back to the night before. He and Hyuna had talked beforehand about Hwitaek, and how they felt about him. But he didn’t think Hwitaek would be so willing to join them so quickly. All Hyojong had to do was reach out his hand a smile and Hwitaek had stepped closer to the couch to lean down and press his lips firmly against Hyojong’s.

Careful not to wake up Hwitaek, Hyojong removes his hand and sits up. He slips out of bed, and Hyuna stirs slightly but sighs in her sleep. Once Hyojong is standing up, he finally realizes that he’s not wearing anything. He quickly scans the floor and picks up black pair of shorts and steps into them.

Hyojong needs coffee. Or a cigarette.

He makes his way into the makeshift kitchen the motel has to offer. There’s a worn out coffee maker on top of a counter, with a package of coffee grounds and a few mugs next to it. The mugs don’t look like they’ve been washed too well, but Hyojong doesn’t care. He picks up the the package of coffee grounds, scans the back for instructions, decides he can’t read and dumps the whole package into the top of the coffee maker, adding a mugful of water as an afterthought. He presses the big red button that will probably turn the machine on and waits.

Waiting is hard. Hyojong is counting the seconds since he pressed the button, and too much time has already passed for him to be okay with standing still. _Thirteen....fourteen...fifteen…_ he thinks. _Cigarette._

Hyojong’s pack and lighter are conveniently on the counter beside him. He jumps onto the counter and sits, his feet not quite touching the floor. He takes a cigarette out from the pack and lights it. At the first inhale of smoke, his shoulders relax. He hadn’t realized he had been tense at all.

“Are you a fucking idiot? The smoke alarm.” Hyojong turns around and sees Hwitaek standing a few feet away from him. He hadn’t even heard him get up. Distracted.

Hyojong rolls his eyes, but puts the cigarette out.

“That would be one way to make an exit.”

“Those are my shorts,” Hwitaek says, nodding towards Hyojong’s lower body.

“Do you really care at this point?” Hyojong asks.

“Not particularly.”

They stare at each other for a few minutes, across the crappy excuse for a kitchen in the tiny motel room. Hyojong breaks the silence.

“How did you manage to keep your clothes on, anyway? I pretty sure they were all off at some point last night.”

Hwitaek smirks again. He’s always smirking. Always has that stupid, I-know-something-you-don’t, little half smile on his face. Hyojong thinks it’s cute. He stands up and strides over to Hwitaek, grabbing his face almost agressively and pulling him in for a kiss. He can feel Hwitaek relax a bit as he brings his hands up to cup Hyojong’s face, bringing them closer. Hyojong thinks about deepening the kiss but then Hwitaek steps back, looking at the counter in front of him.

“What the fuck is that?”

Hyojong turns around. There’s a puddle of something on the floor, an almost mud-like substance that has dripped down the front of the counter. Hyojong forgot to put a mug under the coffee machine to catch the coffee. Not that he’s thinking about drinking it when it looks like that.

“Coffee,” Hyojong replies. “It didn’t come out the way I thought it would.”

“Well,” Hwitaek starts, “No one here will be cleaning that up. It looks disgusting.”

Hyojong nods and pulls away from Hwitaek.

“Should I wake Hyuna up?”

“Probably,” replies Hwitaek. “We should get going soon. Can’t stay in the same place for too long.”

  
“What’s that you said before about making an exit?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tumblr: bisexualjewishvampire.tumblr.com


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im back. just saying that if all goes according to plan, this is gonna be v au from the ending of the mv, i hope you guys dont mind not reading abt them jumping off a building.

Hyuna’s eyes flutter open when she feels a pair of chapped lips pressed against her cheek. The faint smell of cigarette smoke is familiar to her.

“Hyojong,” she says.

“Yes,” he replies, brushing Hyuna’s hair away from her face. “It’s time to get up. We need to leave soon."

Hyuna rolls onto her back and sits up, keeping the blanket pulled up to her chest. Hyojong tosses her a tank top without looking, and then he goes to wait with Hwitaek in the kitchen. Hyuna smiles in their direction. She knew this was a good idea.

Hyuna gets dressed with the bed sheet around her. Once she’s fully clothed, she goes into the kitchen and kisses Hyojong on the cheek.

“Good morning,” she says. Then she kisses Hwitaek. Hyojong and Hwitaek lock eyes.

“Is there any coffee?” Hyuna asks. Hyojong gestures vaguely towards the counter behind her. She looks and sees a muddy substance seeping down onto the floor.

“Guess not.” Hyuna says. “Anyway, when are we leaving?”

“I’ll go put the bag of clothes in the car. You and Hyojong can wait here until I come back. Hyojong has a very specific plan in order for us to leave.” Hwitaek says. He goes to the bed and stuffs any of the clothes on the floor into a duffle bag. He swings it over his shoulder and a promptly leaves, giving a half salute in Hyojong’s direction on his way out.

Once the door closes, Hyuna speaks up.

“I think that went well,” she says.

Hyojong nods. “He kissed me while you were still sleeping.” Hyuna smiles brightly.

“Do you think he’ll kiss me again, too?” She asks.

Hyojong rolls his eyes. “Of course he will. How could he not? You’re gorgeous.”

Hyuna walks up to Hyojong and leans in close before fitting their mouths together. She’s used to this, used to feeling Hyojong’s lips against her own. But last night had been different because Hwitaek was there too. Hyuna thinks that maybe it was even better, having the both of them.

Hyojong pulls back slightly. “Different,” he murmurs against her lips.

Hyuna breathes back. “Yes.”

They kiss again, looking for something more. Hyuna feels Hyojong’s tongue brush against her lips and she parts them gently. Hyojong still smelled like cigarettes. Perhaps he always would.

They break apart when they hear the door start to open. The next moment, Hwitaek is in the room, eyeing them wearily.

“Ready?” He asks. They nod.

“Okay,” Hyojong says. “This is how you leave a place properly.”

Hyojong moves to stand directly under the smoke detector and lights a cigarette. He inhales deeply, and exhales with his head pointed up towards the ceiling. He does this for about a minute.

The smoke detector starts rapidly beeping. A moment later, the fire alarm for the entire motel goes off. Hyojong turns the smoke detector off.

He smiles. “Let’s go,” he tells Hwitaek and Hyuna.

The three of them join the other motel inhabitants and head towards the emergency exit. It’s crowded in the hallway and on the staircase, and you’d never know that the three of them were so different from the rest. Once they’re outside, Hwitaek leads them out of the motel parking lot and down the street.

“I moved the car about two blocks away,” Hwitaek explains to Hyojong and Hyuna. “Makes for a less trackable getaway. This isn’t the first time I’ve needed to lay low.”

Hyuna and Hyojong exchange a look, but neither ask Hwitaek about the other times he’s had to lay low. They know that the car they’re driving is stolen, and so is the money they found in the trunk. They can only guess what other things Hwitaek has gotten up to.

When they approach the car, Hwitaek heads to the driver’s seat. Hyuna goes for the passenger seat, and Hyojong opens the back door of the car and takes his place in the middle. It’s routine at this point. Hyojong has offered to drive before, but Hwitaek doesn’t trust him to not drive the car off a bridge. And Hyuna doesn’t like to be in control at the wheel. 

Hwitaek turns the car on and pulls away before Hyuna even has her seatbelt on. Hwitaek seems to have more of a plan than she or Hyojong ever will.

They head off in a new direction. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think theyll probably all have A Talk in the next chapter, but because of who They Are its not gonna be emotional or deep or anything. probably.


	4. Chapter 4

Hwitaek isn’t really sure where he stands with Hyojong and Hyuna. Ever since that first night, and that kiss he shared with Hyojong in the motel kitchen, he’s been waiting. He’s not one one to make rash assumptions about others, and not one to act on his emotions. Everything in his life up until the night he met Hyuna and Hyojong had been carefully calculated. All risks were accounted for, every step he took had been planned out.

Until he almost hit Hyuna with his car.

He remembers slamming on the breaks as soon as he saw her run into the street. He remembers looking up and seeing her clearly for the first time and thinking, how beautiful. It was that first impression of her that had him acting on an emotional impulse. He asked her if she needed a ride anywhere, and she had shaken her head. He asked her if she wanted to get in the car anyway, and she had walked over to the side, opened the door, and climbed into the passenger seat. It was at that point Hwitaek realized two things about her. One: she was brave for getting into a car with a stranger. And two: she was lost. It was those qualities that initially drew him towards her, and then of course, Hyojong had to step off the curb, right in front of the car’s path, and things had changed again.

It was the second time Hwitaek would slam on the breaks that night, but this time it was too late. Hyojong had skid across the road, and stood up as if he were fine. But Hwitaek had been angry. Angry that he could have almost killed someone on accident. Angry that anyone would try to walk into oncoming traffic, with a total disregard for the people who might hit him. Angry that the man lying in the middle of the road had blond hair and pale skin, and angry that someone who looked like that would want to do this to themselves. So Hwitaek acted on impulse for a second time that night, and punched the man right in the face. And the man didn’t try to fight back, had just started to laugh and let himself get punched until his lips were bleeding. It had taken Hyuna to pull Hwitaek off of Hyojong, and they made the quiet decision to invite Hyojong into the car. Hwitaek only knew two things about Hyojong. One: he wanted to end his life. Two: he was lost, just like Hyuna. And just like Hwitaek.

That’s what the three of them have in common.

But it’s been three days since Hwitaek found them, and he still doesn’t know much about them. He thinks they’re probably just as guarded as he is, which means they’re unpredictable. That makes Hwitaek uneasy, even if he doesn't show it. He’s never been in a situation like this before. He’s worried he might actually have to initiate a personal conversation in order to find out or more about them, instead of his usual observe-them-from-a-distance tactic. He decides that in order to play it safe, he’s going to have to avoid future intimate encounters with Hyuna and Hyojong. What happened in the motel last night, and then again with Hyojong in the early morning, was a mistake. He shouldn’t have let his emotions and hormones get the best of him. He’s been so great at keeping his feelings in check in the past, and he doesn’t know why it’s so hard this time.

Hwitaek reflects on the past few days as he’s driving the car. The road they’re on continues for a long time, so he knows there shouldn’t be many distractions. They’ve been driving for over an hour now, and the only noise in the car is the sound of the radio and Hyuna’s soft voice as she sings along. Hyojong’s in the back seat, leaning forward so he can fit his head in the space between where Hwitaek and Hyuna are sitting. At one point, Hyojong leans all the way forward in his seat to press the button that turns off the radio, and he opens his mouth to speak. Before Hyojong can say anything, Hwitaek turns the radio back on. He’s not ready for a conversation until he’s fully assessed the situation he’s dealing with.

Hyojong leans back and shuts his mouth.

They continue driving in near-silence.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to everyone who has read this so far and commented and/or left kudos it really means a lot!!!

Hyojong, Hui, and Hyuna arrive at another motel after an almost ten hour drive. Aside from the occasional gas station stop, there hasn’t been any change in scenery. Hyojong doesn’t know where they’re going, but Hwitaek seems to have some idea and Hyojong trusts him.

It’s 9:00 pm when they check in, and Hyojong is starving. He suggests they all head over to the diner across the street to get something to eat, but Hwitaek says he needs to stay back and take care of something. Hyojong and Hyuna exchange a look.

Every time they stay somewhere overnight, Hwitaek puts some of the money from the trunk in different hiding spots. He carries some on him, of course, different amounts tucked away in different pockets, but he also hides stacks of cash in different nooks in the car and whatever hotel room they’re staying in. Hyojong also knows that in whatever town they stop in, Hwitaek always meets up with _someone_ , and hands them a short stack of cash.

When Hyojong once asked about Hwitaek’s habit, Hwitaek responded by saying that distributing any items he had is one of the first things he learned as a kid. If anyone ever finds anything, you’ll always have something leftover hidden in another place.

Hyojong and Hyuna head over to the diner to eat by themselves, and when they get back to the motel room, they find Hwitaek sprawled across an old couch, fast asleep.

“Should we...wake him up?” asks Hyuna, uncertain.

“Nah,” replies Hyojong. “Let him stay asleep. He drove all day.”

They leave him alone and crawl into bed together. Hyuna sleeps on the left side, and instead of sleeping on the right, Hyojong stays more in the middle, leaving enough room in the bed just incase Hwitaek wakes up in the middle of the night and wants to join them.

He doesn’t.

When Hyojong wakes up again the next morning, Hyuna is asleep beside him, and Hwitaek is still lying on the couch. Hyojong gets up and pulls on his clothes. He decides against trying to make coffee after yesterday morning, so he grabs his pack of cigarettes and walks out the door. Once he’s a respectable twenty yards away from the motel, he lights his first cigarette.

Hyojong breathes in the smoke. It’s fresh air.

He starts walking on the sidewalk, just smoking and observing the small town for the first time. He wonders why Hwitaek chose to stop here, when there’s really not much to see. He doesn’t care enough to question it.

Hyojong walks twice around the block before putting out his cigarette and making his way back to the motel. When he opens the door to their room, he can already tell something is wrong.

Hwitaek is awake, standing up fully dressed and pacing in front of the crappy television in the motel. Hyuna is sitting on the couch, hugging her legs to her chest, looking as if she’s trying to disappear.

“I left for maybe twenty minutes. What the fuck happened?” Hyojong asks.

Hwitaek nods his head towards the television screen. It’s low quality, because everything is low quality, but there’s no way he could mistake it for anyone else; there’s a photo of Hyuna on the television screen. Under it he reads the word ‘suspect’.

“What the fuck?”

“I’m sorry.” Hyuna whispers. Hyojong’s never seen her like this before.

“Just...explain it to me again. Please,” says Hwitaek. Hyuna takes a deep breath and makes eye contact with Hyojong as she tells her story.

“Four days ago,” she begins. “On the night you found us, Hui, I was working at a barber shop. It was late, and he was the last customer, and he…”

“Who was?” asks Hyojong.

“The man I killed.” she replies. “He wasn’t interested in getting his haircut at all. He tried...he tried to force himself on me, and I pushed him away. And he fell,” Hyuna swallows. “He fell and hit his head on the counter. And then I was covered in blood.”

Hyojong crosses the room to where Hyuna sits on the couch and takes her hands in his. “It wasn’t your fault,” he starts. “It was self defense-”

“Why now?” Interrupts Hwitaek. “Why are you only telling us this now?”

Hyuna takes another shaky breath. “I was lost the night you found me. I just needed to go somewhere else, and neither of you asked any questions, and I didn’t ask you any questions. I thought maybe it could be irrelevant." 

“Well, it obviously isn’t,” says Hwitaek, pointing to the television screen. “People know who you are and what you look like.”

“How could I have been so stupid.” He’s muttering to himself now and pacing in front of the television. “This is what happens when you act on your emotions, you end up traveling with a-”

Hyojong stands up. He looks angry. 

“Stop it, Hui. When you found us there were no questions asked. That was the rule. She hoped it would be irrelevant, she was wrong, and now we’re going to figure out what to do. As a fucking team. Because that’s what we have been for the past four days and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. And stop acting like what Hyuna did is a totally new area for you. You think we haven’t noticed the way you’ve acted? How you always know where to go and where to hide? Something like that only comes from experience. While we’re questioning Hyuna, why don’t you talk about your experiences too, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry to leave off at that, but the next part is being told in a different POV so it needs a new chapter. forgive me? :P


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> leave a comment and/or kudos if you enjoy :)

Hyuna jolts awake when she hears the door slam as Hyojong exits the motel room. She assumes he’s taking a walk to smoke, like he does most days. She sits up in bed and spies Hwitaek still passed out on the couch. She frowns.  _ He must not have joined us last night, _ she thinks. 

Hyuna leans off the side of the bed and grabs a shirt and a pair of shorts from a duffel bag. It was one of the first things they bought when Hwitaek found all the money in the trunk: clothes. She slips on the new clothes, gets out of bed and crosses the room to make a pot of coffee. As she tries to quietly walk past the couch where Hwitaek sleeps, he opens his eyes. 

“Hey,” he says, voice low and scratchy in the morning. Hyuna likes his voice like this.

“Hey,” she replies, continuing to walk into the small kitchen. “I was just going to make a pot of coffee, you want some?”

Hwitaek sits up and rubs the sleep from his eyes. “Sure,” he replies.

Hyuna turns her back to Hwitaek as she makes the coffee. She hears him switch on the television that’s in front of the couch. He flips through the channels until he finds one that’s reporting news. “-found dead in a barber shop,” she hears someone on the television say. Her heart seems to stop. She can’t breathe. 

She turns around slowly, and sees Hwitaek standing up, fully dressed, staring at the screen in front of him. She sees a picture of herself on the television, captioned with the word ‘suspect’ in large, red text. 

She was a fool to think she could forget about what happened in the barber shop. She should have never pretended she was fine. 

“Hyuna,” Hwitaek states. “Would you mind explaining what I’m looking at?” His voice is calm and even, but Hyuna knows better. She can hear the coldness and anger behind his words. 

She doesn’t respond. 

“Hyuna!” Hwitaek raises his voice this time. “Care to explain what this is about?” 

Hyuna can’t seem to process what Hwitaek is saying to her. Her thoughts are moving too fast and too slow simultaneously.

“Who are you?” Hwitaek asks a different question this time. It gets through to her. Hyuna starts moving towards him, but Hwitaek backs away from her and stands directly in front of the television. Hyuna’s legs give out and she falls onto the floor. She’s trembling. 

“I'm Kim Hyuna,” she says, voice shaking. “Up until four days ago I had been working at the barber shop that I owned. Up until four days ago, when-” She falls silent again. 

“When what?” Hwitaek asks. His calm tone is threatening to disappear.  

“When,” Hyuna starts. “When a man came in...he didn’t have an appointment. I don’t normally take walk ins but I had a friend’s birthday coming up...I needed the money.” Hyuna struggles to tell the story. “I had barely started when he stood up and pushed me against the counter...I tried to push him off...and then he was dead on the floor, bleeding out of his head.” She takes a shaky breath. “And then you found me.”

Hwitaek starts pacing in front of the television. He’s muttering to himself. Hyuna can’t pick out what he’s saying; her own heartbeat is too loud in her ears for her to hear much else. Then Hwitaek stops pacing and looks directly at her. Hyuna moves to sit on the couch

“I’ve been checking the news everyday,” he starts. “There hasn’t been any mention of this until now. Why the hell did it take so long for them to find a body? And why the hell haven’t you said anything about this before?”

Hyuna realizes she’s crying.

“I don’t know!” she wails. “I didn’t want to even think about it! I thought maybe it would take longer for anyone to find anything, because it’s my barber shop and I’m the only one who works there! No one would have any reason to go in there except me or my customers, and no one else has a key-”

Then the door opens, and Hyojong walks in.

“What the fuck happened?” He asks. 

And then she’s explaining the story again. Hwitaek raises his voice at her, and Hyojong starts yelling at  _ him _ , and then so much noise in the room and Hyuna still can’t hear quite right but then there’s silence and she realize Hyojong asked Hwitaek to explain himself, too. Hwitaek is breathing heavily. 

“It was no questions asked until Hyuna kept information from us that’s putting all of us in real danger. Either of you have anything else to share that might be relevant?” Hyojong shakes his head. 

“All I did was try to kill myself. That’s not anything that could put us at risk. Well, maybe not you guys. I could always be at risk.” 

Hwitaek turns away from Hyojong. When he speaks again, he’s looking into directly into Hyuna’s eyes as he says it.

“I knew that man. The one you killed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i might have to leave off there for a bit. i have finals coming up and i'm not sure if i'll have time to write much.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> congratulations! you've won enough points to unlock hui's backstory!

“I knew that man. The one you killed.”

Once Hwitaek says those words, he can’t take them back. He watches as Hyojong and Hyuna process what he said, and their faces change. If anything, Hyuna looks even more terrified than she did before, and Hyojong looks furious. 

“What the hell do you mean?” Hyojong asks. “How did you know him?”

Hwitaek leans against the wall with his head in his hands. He looks up to start talking. 

“I didn’t know him well,” he starts. “It wasn’t like we were friends or anything- no, Hyuna, I would never be friends with someone who tried to-” Hwitaek stops and shakes his head. 

“I had met him maybe three times, enough to recognize his face the second his picture was on the television. I think you might have done me a favor.” Hwitaek swallows. 

Hyuna’s face shifts again and she looks almost relieved. 

“But how?” She asks. “How did you know him?” 

“I just-” Hwitaek starts, gesturing with his hands. “It’s complicated.” 

“Complicated my ass,” interrupts Hyojong. “Now’s as good a time as ever to start talking.” 

Hwitaek takes a moment to think. He thinks about how telling Hyojong and Hyuna about his past will leave him vulnerable. He thinks about how Hyuna had no choice but to open up about her deepest secret. He thinks about how maybe she deserves the truth from him. He thinks about Hyuna’s kind, sad eyes and Hyojong with all the fire behind his, and wonders if their opinion of him will change. He thinks about if he cares.  

Hwitaek takes a deep breath. 

“I don’t know what you guys have guessed about me by now, but I don’t think you’ve thought of this yet. My father...he was a businessman. He did a lot of trading and investing in other companies until he was able to build up his own. But no one gets to where he was by playing fairly.” Hwitaek says. “When I turned sixteen, he started asking me to do things for him. Stealing. Manipulation. And I was good at it. But about a year ago, he had a heart attack. His company went to someone who didn’t know what I had been doing for my father for six years. And I was left alone, so I started traveling.”  

“Eventually, this man caught up with me. He told me he knew who I was and what I had done to help my father, and that my father owed him money, and I would have to pay. His name was Kanghyuk. That was the man you killed, Hyuna.” Hwitaek pauses and looks into Hyuna’s eyes. She doesn’t look away. 

“I saw him twice after that. He would always ask me to do something for him and say if I didn’t, he would turn me in. But the third time, I didn’t do what he asked. I was tired of running. And then, five days ago, his cronies found me. Beat me up. I got away, stole a car, and started driving.”

“So that’s why you’ve done my a favor. I don’t have to worry about him finding me or turning me in anymore.”

“Wait,” Hyojong starts, once Hwitaek finishes his story. Hwitaek looks at him. “Don’t you think it’s a bit weird that on the same day you get beat up the people that worked for- what’s his name -Kanghyuk, he walks into Hyuna’s shop, and she ends up killing him? And then you run into her? That can’t be a coincidence. It’s too strange.”

“I don’t know,” says Hwitaek. “I was thinking about that too, after Hyuna told me what happened. But it must be a coincidence. There are too many other factors.” Hwitaek turns back to look at Hyuna. 

“Hyuna. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. It wasn’t helpful, and I was just surprised. There was very little you could have done differently. And Hyojong. I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess.” 

“Compared to us, you’re a saint.” Hyuna giggles. She looks like she’s feeling a bit better. 

“Ha!” Smirks Hyojong. “Far from it.”

“You won’t judge me too much for killing someone?"

“And you won’t judge me for the stuff I’ve done for my father?”

“You guys never asked questions about me before. Even though there’s a lot to judge. I think that’s what makes the three of us work.” Hyojong gestures to Hwitaek. “Come here, Hui.”

Hwitaek walks over to Hyojong and Hyuna and gets pulled into a hug. He doesn’t fight it. With Hyojong’s arm around his shoulder, and Hyuna’s hand curled against his back, something feels right. 

He pulls away, almost smiling. 

“Okay.” He says. “We’re sticking together.”

In his head, he thinks about how fucked he is. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos and comment if you enjoyed :) thanks everyone for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: im done with school! more time to write!!  
> me: *procrastinates and doesn't update for a week*
> 
> anyway, this is the longest chapter ive written so i hope that counts for something. enjoy!

It was Hwitaek’s idea.

With Hyuna’s face everywhere on the news, they have to be extra careful. They’ve been using fake names since they started, and of course only paying in cash. The only issue now was that Hyuna’s face is recognizable. She needs to look different. 

Hyojong goes into a shop to buy hair dye and contact lenses, as Hwitaek requested.  _ Darker colors,  _ Hwitaek had said.  _ She needs to blend in.  _

Hyojong picks out a shade of brown hair dye and brown contact lenses. He adds a few cigarette packs to the mix. As he pays, he tries to picture Hyuna with a different color hair and eyes. He decides she’ll look beautiful no matter what. 

He makes his way back to the motel where Hyojong and Hyuna are. When he walks in, he notices one of them missing. 

Hyuna’s sitting on the couch, staring at the wall and looking like she’d rather be doing anything else. When Hyojong walks in, she looks relieved. 

“Where did Hui go?” Hyojong asks.

“Money drop-off, probably,” says Hyuna. She walks up to Hyojong and kisses him on the cheek. She seems to be doing better than she was earlier that morning. Hyojong thinks that maybe he should be frightened of her, now knowing what she’s capable of. But when he looks at Hyuna, he feels like he needs to be protecting her. That, and something else that he can’t quite place. 

Hyojong holds out the hair dye. “Is it good?” Hyojong asks, almost nervously. Hyuna smiles quickly as she takes the hair dye from his hands. 

“A good brand,” she answers. “Should I just...do it?” 

“Wait,” Hyojong says before Hyuna slips into the bathroom. He pulls her in for a tight hug. He breathes in her scent and combs his fingers through her hair. 

“I’ll miss this color,” he says. Hyuna laughs. 

“It’s a small price to pay for our safety.” She pulls back from the hug. 

“Are you sure you don’t need help?” Asks Hyojong. 

“Please, I’ve worked with hair for a living. I can do this by myself.”

Hyojong moves to sit on the couch as Hyuna closes the bathroom door behind her. He has little experience with hair dye, and is unsure how long it will take for Hyuna to finish. He hears the sound of running water. 

Hyojong lies down on the couch and closes his eyes. He doesn’t mean to fall asleep, but he wakes up when he hears a door opening. 

Hyojong sits up groggily and sees Hwitaek closing the motel room door behind him. 

“Hey,” Hyojong says, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Where were you?”

“Out.” Hwitaek answer. Hyojong rolls his eyes. 

“Hyuna’s dyeing her hair in the bathroom, in case you were wondering.” 

“Cool.”

Hwitaek walks over to the couch and Hyojong scoots over to make room for him. For a minute, they both stare at the closed bathroom door. Finally, Hyojong speaks.

“So,” he starts. “A manipulative thief.”

“A suicidal drug addict.” Retorts Hwitaek. “And a murdering hairdresser.”

“When you put it like that, we make a pretty good team.” Hwitaek laughs at Hyojong’s statement, before abruptly stopping.  _ He’s being awkward,  _ Hyojong thinks.  _ He’s holding himself back.  _

“Hui,” Hyojong says. “Stop me if I’m way off here.” 

“Okay,” replies Hwitaek, looking straight ahead. 

“Well,” Hyojong clears his throat. “You’ve become more and more distant from me, and Hyuna, since the night we all had sex.” Hwitaek is still staring at the incredibly interesting wall in front of him. 

“And I know I speak for both me and Hyuna when I say that we didn’t ask you to join us for it to be a one time thing.” Hyojong brings his hand up to turn Hwitaek’s face until he’s looking at him, and Hyojong looks Hwitaek right in the eyes before continuing. “We both like you. You aren’t a third wheel. We want you to be a part of this.” 

It seems like Hwitaek can’t help but laugh at Hyojong’s words. Hyojong looks confused. 

“I’m sorry,” says Hwitaek. “It’s just hard to imagine one person liking me for more than just sex, let alone two people.”

“I wouldn’t have kissed you the next morning if I didn’t want you. And we all started out as friends, that’s gotta mean something to you.” 

Hwitaek looks away from Hyojong. His cheeks are turning red. 

“God damn it, Hui. Can’t you look at me for two seconds? Can’t you see that I care about you? That  _ she _ cares about you?” 

Silence hangs in the air. Then Hyojong moves in to kiss him.

The moment their lips connect, Hyojong realizes how much he’s missed this. Hwitaek is so responsive to Hyojong’s touch, making a low noise in the back of his throat as Hyojong moves his hand under Hwitaek’s shirt. Hwitaek pushes Hyojong away and Hyojong is lying flat on the couch. Hwitaek climbs on top of him and leans down to kiss him, hard, and Hyojong’s eyes are closed, his hands move to cup Hwitaek’s head and run his fingers through his hair and then-

He hears someone cough.

Hyojong looks up and sees Hyuna standing in the bathroom doorway, eyes sparkling with mirth. 

“Oh please,” she says. “Don’t stop on my account. Just wanted to let you two know I was finished.” 

Hwitaek moves off of Hyojong and Hyojong sits up, and they both look at Hyuna. It’s amazing what a different hair color can do to a person. Hyuna’s fiery red hair is now a soft brown. Of course, she still looks beautiful. Hwitaek says as much. 

“You look beautiful,” he says. 

Hyojong agrees. 

It seems that after the early morning confrontation, Hyuna is back to her bubbly self. She practically bounces over to the couch where Hyojong and Hwitaek sit, and slides in next to Hwitaek. 

“So,” she says. “What n-”

Before she can get the words out, Hwitaek is leaning in to kiss her. Hyojong smiles as he watches the two of them. 

They break apart, and Hwitaek starts laughing. It’s contagious, and Hyojong and Hyuna are joining in, laughing at the situation they’re in, being on the run and falling into this relationship dynamic. It almost seems ridiculous. 

Almost.

“I think it’s time we get a new car.” Hwitaek says. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooooo im really sorry abt changing hyuna's hair color. if you need help visualizing, just imagine the 'hows this?' mv. it just makes the most sense that she'd change her hair in this story line, and as i said, this is def au from the mv, so yeah. that's my justification. please kudos and comment if you enjoyed! :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just wanted to say thank you for the amazing response i've had to this fic. all of your comments mean so much to me and encourage me to keep writing. especially because this is the first fic ive ever written im just sooo glad that people are enjoying it, and even once this fic is done ill be encouraged to write others :)

They’ve been driving for two hours now, and the atmosphere in their new car is so, so different. 

The radio’s on and loud, and the windows are down as they speed down the empty expressway, Hyuna’s newly colored hair whipping in the wind. It blows in her face, sure, but she can’t bring herself to care. It’s a nice feeling. 

The people in the new car almost seem like new people. Some things are the same- Hwitaek is still driving, Hyuna sits in the passenger’s seat and Hyojong sits in the back, leaning forward to be closer to them. 

But now Hyuna can turn her head and Hyojong is right there, and she can kiss him all she wants. It’s not that she couldn’t have before, but when it was just ‘Hyuna and Hyojong’, before it was ‘Hyuna and Hyojong and Hwitaek’, she wouldn’t have wanted to. But now, she doesn’t feel the need to hold back when she wants to kiss Hyojong. She knows Hwitaek will watch them, briefly, in the mirror, before turning his eyes back to the road in front of him because he’s a responsible driver. When she’s not kissing Hyojong, she sings along to the radio, even the songs she doesn’t know the words to, and they’ll laugh with her, or  _ at _ her, and she doesn’t care- she can lace her fingers with Hwitaek’s and bring his hand up to kiss it, the most she can do while he’s driving, but she’s watched as Hyojong attempted three times to get Hwitaek to turn his head to kiss him, going as far as to try to suck a hickey on Hwitaek’s neck, but three times Hyojong’s been swatted away with a laugh and a smile from Hwitaek as Hyojong slouches and sulks in the back seat. 

So the atmosphere is different. And it’s better.

Hyuna feels better with her hair, knowing she’s far less likely to be recognized with a color less distracting than red. She can guess Hwitaek feels better driving in the new car; he told Hyuna that it was unlikely the car was ever reported as stolen, given the bag of cash they found in the trunk. No one gets that kind of money without doing something illegal, and Hwitaek guessed that whoever the car belonged to would not want the police involved. Getting a different car was a way for Hwitaek to put distance between the life he had and the life he’s heading to. 

And Hyojong- Hyuna knows Hyojong feels better having both Hyuna and Hwitaek by his side. He admitted to her one night as they were trying to fall asleep to the sounds of Hwitaek’s steady breathing that he needs them. Needs them in the sense that having them feels like he has a purpose; people he needs to take of and be there for.  _ I know I can’t always rely on you guys to be the reason I’m alive,  _ he whispered to her.  _ But it’s a start.  _

Hyuna knows why things feel different now. Six days being on the run for something she never thought she would have to be on the run for, with the two boys she  _ feels _ the most for. It feels good. 

She’s never bothered to ask Hwitaek where exactly they’re headed, and she doesn’t think Hyojong’s asked, either. But she really doesn’t care at this point. She trusts him, and she thinks that as long as the three of them are together, she doesn’t care where the end up. 

Hwitaek starts to slow down the car and signals right as he pulls over to the side of the road. “Just wanted a short break,” he says, in way of explanation.

The car stops and the three of them get out, stretching and walking around. Hyojong grabs Hwitaek by the wrist and pulls him close, bringing their mouths together for a long kiss. Hyojong breaks away with a smirk. 

“Since you wouldn’t let me while you were driving.” 

Hwitaek laughs. 

“If you’re tired, I can drive,” Hyojong says, like he has every time Hwitaek takes the wheel. Only this time, Hwitaek doesn’t brush him off. 

“You sure?” He asks. Hyuna gapes. 

“Yeah?” Says Hyojong, uncertainly this time. He didn’t expect Hwitaek to take him up on his offer.

But without another word, Hwitaek drops the keys into Hyojong’s hand, and makes his way to the backseat, sliding into Hyojong’s old spot. Hyuna stares at Hyojong across the top of the car, scarcely believing that this is happening. Hyojong looks completely baffled.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Car’s not gonna drive itself.”

With a final shrug, Hyojong gets into the driver’s seat. Hyuna takes her seat afterward. Hyojong starts the car. 

“Where should I go?” He asks Hwitaek. 

“Just drive until you see something. Wake me up if you need anything.” And with that, Hwitaek leans back and closes his eyes. Hyojong starts driving. 

Maybe there was never really a destination, afterall. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you can find me on tumblr at bisexualjewishvampire.tumblr.com , feel free to send me any messages abt the fic or anything in general, i dont bite :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the outfits referenced in this chapter are inspired by this live performance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFKHGbj-FXA&t=35s

They get brave and decide to go out to a bar. 

They’ve been at the same motel for three days now with no issues. Hyojong is the one to say something, of course, saying that they’ve had good luck so far and maybe they should try to have some fun and go out in public. His head is on Hwitaek’s chest when he brings it up, and Hyuna has her fingers intertwined with Hwitaek’s on his other side. If Hwitaek thought being in bed with only one person was hot and sweaty, he was completely unprepared for two others. Not an inch of his skin is untouched with Hyuna and Hyojong on either side of him, and they stick to him with sweat from body heat and other activities. All of their limbs are tangled up and Hwitaek isn’t really sure who’s running their foot up and down his leg. It’s messy, and Hwitaek doesn’t care.

He doesn’t remember a time when he was happier, having Hyuna and Hyojong by his side. It seems ironic that it took such a terrible situation for them all to end up at this place, but Hwitaek can’t imagine in any other way. 

“Do you want to go out to a bar tonight?” Asks Hyojong. He’s looking up at Hwitaek, eyes glistening and long lashes. “We passed one on our way into town. And it’s been almost a week since I’ve had a drink.”

“You sure that’s a good idea?” Says Hwitaek, a little concerned. Hyojong shrugs.

“Why not? We haven’t had any trouble with Hyuna, or the car, and anyone at the bar wouldn’t be sober enough to recognize anything.”

Hyuna lays on her side and trails a finger up Hwitaek’s chest. She has a nice smile. 

“I’m down if you are, Hui.” She says.

Even though they’re all together, and equal in their relationship, Hyojong and Hyuna both turn to Hwitaek as the leader on their journey. Maybe it’s because he found them, maybe it’s because he’s in charge of the car and where they stop and at least  _ seems _ like he knows what he’s doing. Whatever it is, Hwitaek feels a little extra responsibility as the leader for what happens to them. 

“Sure,” Hwitaek says with a smile. “Why not?”

It’s his first mistake of the night. 

 

*** 

 

Hyuna runs off to a clothing shop with some of their money, and comes back with three full shopping bags. “One for each of us,” she says as she sets one bag in front of Hyojong and the other in front of Hwitaek. “Outfits to go out in tonight, enjoy.”  

Hwitaek opens his shopping bag and pulls out a blue blazer, a pink button down and a pair of beige slacks. He digs around further and pulls out a bowtie. 

“You want me to wear all this?” He asks. Hyuna’s pulling out the clothes she got for herself. 

“Don’t pretend this isn’t exactly what you’d wear on a night out,” she says. 

Hwitaek sighs, but she’s right; the outfit she chose is definitely something he would choose for himself. 

Hyojong starts stripping in the middle of the room, pulling up his shirt and wiggling out of his pants until he’s only in his boxers. Hwitaek watches Hyojong puts on a pair of loose jeans and a white t-shirt, holding an oversized cow-print jacket in his hand as he finishes the look with a black hat. Hwitaek follows suite and changes into his clothes. 

When he’s done, Hyuna has already changed into her outfit- a frilly white shirt and a short purple skirt. Her hair is down, and Hwitaek wants to run his fingers through it.  

He doesn’t get the chance to say anything before the three of them are walking out the door to head to the bar at Hyojong’s guidance. It’s only a short distance, so they leave the car where it’s parked and walk. It’s after 9:00 pm and the sky is dark, but the stars and the streetlamps give them enough light as they walk. 

The breeze and the lack of sunlight make the night cold. Hyuna shivers, and Hyojong smirks. “Next time, remember to buy yourself a jacket.” He says it playfully, and the next second he’s shrugging of his own coat and wrapping it around her shoulders. 

They arrive at the bar less than five minutes later, and Hyojong can hear how crowded it is. He can hear music and loud noises coming from inside the bar. It appears that everyone would come to this place when there’s not much else to do in town. 

It’s warm inside, so Hyuna takes of the coat and hands it back to Hyojong. There’s a song playing that Hwitaek doesn’t recognize, and a few people trying to dance to it in the middle of the room. There are people sitting at tables, on barstools, and leaning against walls, drinking and talking loudly.

“Where should we go?” Asks Hyuna. Hwitaek surveys the room. 

“Let’s just order drinks at the bar.” 

They follow Hwitaek as he pushes through the people to order drinks, but before he can say anything, Hyuna steps in front of him with a big smile as she looks at the bartender. 

“Hi,” she says, immediately grabbing the bartender’s attention. “Can I get two whiskeys and a gin and tonic?” Hyojong and Hwitaek exchange a look as the bartender nods vigorously. 

Hyuna turns back to them. “Classic bar rule, the bartender is more likely to listen to what you have to say when you’re a pretty girl. It’s pretty much the only time it’s applicable.” Hwitaek laughs. 

Hyuna and Hyojong chat aimlessly as Hwitaek watches the bartender carefully. He’s still on edge; even in a place where he’s supposed to have fun, he knows he can never be too careful of others. The bartender has his back turned as he mixes drinks. Hyuna and Hyojong seem happy. Hwitaek feels safer at this public bar than he has in a while. He excuses himself to the restroom. 

It’s his second mistake.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading, and be sure to leave a kudos/comment if you enjoyed :)


	11. Chapter 11

Hyojong is excited to finally be out of the motel room. 

It isn’t that he had felt trapped for the past few days, being with Hyuna and Hwitaek, but he wanted a chance to show them off. Being in a public bar with them almost felt like a date- though nothing like one he had ever been on. He had never been on a date with two people at the same time, who were also on a date with each other. It is all very new to Hyojong, but it isn’t complicated. Maybe because of the circumstances where their relationship started, but being with Hyuna and Hwitaek is easy for him. It feels right. 

After Hyuna orders the three of them drinks, Hyojong talks with her, asking her trivial question with a smile on his face, to simulate the type of conversation that takes place on a first date. 

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Did you ever have any pets?”

“What do you do for a living?” 

Hyuna indulges Hyojong, even though he already knows all of the answers. Red, a cat when she was younger, and a hairdresser. Before he gets the chance to ask Hwitaek any questions, he excuses himself to the bathroom. Hyojong watches him go. 

Their drinks arrive just seconds after, thanks to Hyuna. She hands Hyojong his drink and takes a sip of her own. Hyojong doesn’t know why, but he feels anxious not having Hwitaek with them at the time.

“I’m going to check on Hui,” he has to almost shout in order for Hyuna to hear him. The bar is getting very noisy. Hyuna nods and turns to keep an eye on all of their drinks.

Hyojong makes his way over to the men’s room and pushes open the door. When he walks inside, Hwitaek is there washing his hands. Hyojong breathes out. He didn’t realize he had been holding his breath. 

“Hey,” says Hyojong. Hwitaek looks up.

“Hey,” he replies. “Couldn’t stay away from me for five minutes?” He smirks.

“I don’t know, man. Guess you were just taking to long. Got worried.” Hyojong says, sheepishly.

Hwitaek dries his hands and walks over to Hyojong, giving him a chaste kiss on the lips. They’re  alone in the men’s room. 

“Let’s get back to Hyuna,” Hwitaek says. 

But Hyojong’s leaning in for another kiss, and another, and another, until he has Hwitaek pushed up against a wall, mouths connected. Fingers in each others’ hair- Hyojong’s feeling desperate, he doesn’t know why he can’t stand being away from Hwitaek for just a few minutes, doesn’t know why Hwitaek makes him forget himself so easily, forget where he is, what he’s doing, who’s around him-

Hwitaek leans back. 

“Hyuna,” he says, like he read Hyojong’s mind. They both come to an agreement in those moments. 

“We can make it up to her later,” Hyojong says. Hwitaek nods. 

They resume kissing, and Hwitaek walks Hyojong backwards into a bathroom stall, shutting the door behind them. 

 

***

 

They emerge from the men’s room minutes later, giggly and red in the face. Hyojong knows that neither of them have had anything to drink yet, but he feels a bit like he’s floating, as if he’s already taken a few shots. Hwitaek is holding onto his arm, letting Hyojong stumble and lead the way back to Hyuna. They’ll apologize to her in a few minutes. 

They pass a few surly looking dudes on their way, and Hyojong doesn’t even look at them twice. Until Hwitaek stops short. 

“What the fuck did you just say?” Hwitaek asks. 

Surly looking dude #1 steps forward, beer in hand. “You heard what the fuck I said.” 

Hyojong can see Hwitaek getting angry. He doesn’t think he’s seen Hwitaek with this look on his face since the night he found him. Hyojong thinks he knows what might happen next. 

“Don’t fucking call us that!” Hwitaek yells. It’s not enough to get the attention of the whole room with the music playing so loud, but anyone within a few feet of them turns to look at the situation that’s about to unfold. Surly looking dude #1 smirks. Hwitaek raises his fist. 

Hyojong stops Hwitaek’s arm midair. “Let’s not make a scene,” he murmurs. “He’s not worth it.”

Hwitaek’s expression softens at Hyojong’s words, but he’s still glaring at the surly looking dude. The people surrounding them seem to realize there won’t be anything else happening, so they all turn back to their own conversations and drinks. 

Hyojong leads Hwitaek away from the surly looking dudes. When they’re in the clear. Hyojong turns to Hwitaek. 

“What the hell was that? We can’t afford to draw attention to ourselves, and you of all people should know that. What happened?”

Hwitaek is breathing heavily. 

“I just-” he starts. “I don’t like when people say mean things.” 

Hyojong can’t begin to try and comprehend the actual situation. He knows Hwitaek’s upset, and they can talk about it later. In the middle of a crowded bar when Hyuna’s been by herself for fifteen minutes is not the time or the place for a deep conversation. “C’mon.” Hyojong says. He starts to walk over to the bar. Hwitaek doesn’t hold onto his arm this time. 

Approaching the bar where they left Hyuna, Hyojong sees a man occupying the spot where he was sitting before. The man is talking to Hyuna, and Hyojong sees that she looks scared. She’s staring at the floor, trying not to move too much, but she looks up and locks eyes with Hyojong as he draws closer. 

Hyojong doesn’t know what possesses him to do it. Despite his violent tendencies towards himself, he’s never been one to inflict physical pain purposefully onto others. But something he see in Hyuna’s eyes when she looks up him right then causes him to stride swiftly over, and punch the man talking to Hyuna right in the face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmmm there's a lot more action in this scene than im used to writing so i hope it came out okay


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i took so long, but i think the chapter is the longest one so far so i hope that makes up for it.

“I’m going to check on Hui,” Hyojong says. Hyuna nods and smiles as she watches him go. 

She’s keeping a close eye on all of their drinks, not out of worry but out of nothing else to do. She doesn’t feel like trying to start a conversation with any of the rowdy men at the bar, but she’s content just waiting for Hwitaek and Hyojong as she sips her drink. 

She’s happy to be out of the hotel room. She felt like it was her fault that it was too dangerous for them to go out anywhere, and she still feels that way, but upon expressing this to Hyojong he told her that if she wants to blame anyone, she should blame the man from her barber shop that assaulted her. She’s done all she could to protect them since then, including dyeing her hair to look less like the picture of her they keep seeing on the news. 

A man slides into Hyojong’s spot at the bar and interrupts her thoughts.

“Hey there, darlin’” he says, words slurring together. He’s so close to her, and his breath smells like whiskey. “What’re ya doin’ here?” He asks. 

“I’m waiting for my boyfriend,” she says. She’s used this excuse before when trying to tell gross men at bars to fuckoff, but this time it’s true. Or double true. Boyfriends. 

“Thassnice,” the man’s words string together. “Whass yer name?”

“Jiyoon,” Hyuna says, automatically. It’s one of the few names she’s gone by in the past week. 

“A pretty name for a pretty gurlllll!” The man smiles toothfully when he finishes his sentence. Hyuna tries to smile back.  

She doesn’t know why her heart is beating so fast. She can hear it, and feel her hands pulse with anxiety. She’s handled plenty of drunk men before, some far more threatening than the near dead-to-the-world man next to her, but it somehow feels different. So soon after the man in her barber shop, and, oh god-

Hyuna can see blood everywhere. Somewhere, she know’s she’s still in the noisy bar waiting for Hyojong and Hwitaek, but her mind is taking her elsewhere. She’s back in her barbershop and the thud she hears when the man’s head hits the counter is deafening. It echos. She’s on the floor trying to clean up the blood, thinking that if somehow it gets clean she can pretend like it never happened. The bar she’s in may be noisy, but after the man hit the ground in her barbershop, it had never been so quiet. 

“Sweetheart?” The drunk man is asking her. He looks concerned now, or as concerned as one can be when they’re drunk out of their mind. 

Hyuna snaps her head to look at him, and attempts a smile. Her mind is still trying to take her back to the day at the barbershop, and she thinks that maybe talking to the man will keep her distracted enough. 

It’s a mistake. The man is staring at her face without blinking, and Hyuna feels more uncomfortable than she did before. 

“Do I...knowya?” The man asks. Hyuna’s heart stops. 

She tries to smile as she says, “I don’t think so.”

“Nooo, I’mpretty sure…” The man frowns, in deep concentration. “You an actress or somethin’?”

Hyuna looks away, trying to shield her face from the man. “Excuse me,” she says. “I need to use the restroom.” She makes to slide off the barstool, but the man grabs her wrist. 

“Nooo..I knowyer face.” The man says. Hyuna’s heart pace quickens even more. She’s trapped, and she can’t call anymore attention to herself. If this man in his drunken state somehow recognizes her, there’s no telling what the other more sober people in the bar might do if they realize who she is. 

Time slows down until she locks eyes with Hyojong from across the bar, Hwitaek just a few steps behind him. Then everything speeds up. 

The man who grabbed her wrist is on the floor, and this time it’s Hyojong who put him there instead of Hyuna. And there’s no blood. Or maybe there is. When she looks at the man’s face, he sometimes looks like the man from her barbershop. Even as the man stands up to swing his fist back a Hyojong, Hyuna isn’t sure who she’s looking at. 

She feels dizzy. She sees Hwitaek step in front of Hyojong to try and diffuse the situation. She sees his mouth move, but she can’t hear anything. Everything is static and white noise to her ears.

She thinks she’s falling, or maybe the ground is moving up to meet her. She tries to stand up and nearly falls over again, Hwitaek rushing over to her. He’s saying something to her-Hyuna thinks, but she doesn’t know what it is. She just looks at him. Her eyes close. 

 

***

 

Hyuna’s eyes flutter open and the first thing she sees is Hwitaek sleeping upright in a chair. She’s lying down in a bed with soft white sheets, but she feels sticky with sweat. She groans.  

Hwitaek’s eyes fly open and he immediately gets up and sits at the edge of the bed. 

“Hyuna,” he says. 

“Hui,” she responds, her voice hoarse. “What happened?”

“You fainted. I brought you back to the motel. You were talking with your eyes closed for a bit, and your heart rate was normal, so I decided to just let you rest. It’s been about three hours.”

Hyuna tries to sit up, then slips back down. 

“Don’t try to get up. Just rest for a bit. Do you want anything to drink or eat?” Hwitaek is already making his way to the kitchen. 

“Hui?”

“Yes?”

“Where’s Hyojong?” 

Hwitaek stops.

“He got arrested,” Hwitaek says bluntly.

 “What?” Hyuna croaks. She tries to sit up again. She doesn’t understand. 

“At the bar,” Hwitaek continues. “There were police there. They saw him hit that guy and took him away. He told me to take you back to the motel.”

“You left him alone?” Hyuna asks. Hwitaek’s face is unreadable. 

“He asked me too. I’m sure he’ll be okay. Out in no time. He’ll find us.”

Hyuna’s eyes well up with tears. Hyojong wouldn’t be where he is if it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have needed to defend her if she was just able to do it herself. She feels guilty. 

Hyuna turns over and sobs into her pillow. Hwitaek comes over and lies down in the bed next to her, petting her side in an attempt to comfort her.

“Shh,” he says. “It’ll be okay. It’s not your fault.” Hyuna cries more. “We’ll see him soon.”

Hyuna can’t help but to worry. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so yeah, hyuna's obviously dealing with some repressed ptsd causing her to have flashbacks/hallucinate a bit/faint, (all things that can happen when you have ptsd). i tried to describe what she's experiencing as best i could. also side note, if someone faints around you, don't do what hui did and just assume theyll be okay lol. there's a protocol and signs you should be looking for to know if they should go to a hospital. hui's lucky hyuna's okay (physically).


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, im back. idk if anyone is still following the story at this point because its been so long, but i'm going to finish it, i promise. i just ran into a lot of issues with this chapter. i deleted it abt three times and im still not totally satisfied with the chosen direction, but i really want to finish this. if youre really curious, ask me what my original plan for this chapter was, lmao.

Hwitaek wakes up to the sound of someone knocking on the motel door. He’s sitting in the chair next to the bed where Hyuna lays, and she’s still fast asleep despite the continuous pounding. Hwitaek stands up and stretches, back cracking after sleeping uncomfortably in a chair all night. Although there was more than enough room in the bed, he didn’t want to join Hyuna. It felt weird just seeing her there without Hyojong, and he felt that he could keep a better eye on her by watching her from his position in the chair. 

Hwitaek walks to the door and peers through the peephole, only to spot a familiar face. He unlocks the door quickly and swings it wide open. Before he knows it, Hyojong is throwing himself in Hwitaek’s arms and kissing him on the cheek. 

“How did you-what happened?” Hwitaek wraps his arms around Hyojong and holds him protectively, like he’s afraid he’ll be forced to let go. 

“They let me out a few minutes ago. Turns out the guy I punched was actually a drug smuggler, so the police became a lot less concerned about me. I came looking for you guys as soon as I could.” Hyojong steps out of Hwitaek’s arms and puts his hands on his shoulders. 

“God, I’m so happy you’re okay. I was really worried about you.” Hwitaek replies, smiling. Hyojong gives a smile in return. 

“I’m alright, see? Still have everything intact.” Hwitaek giggles in response. 

“Is Hyuna here?” Hyojong asks, looking around. 

“Yeah, she’s just sleeping. She had a big night.” 

“Is it okay if I wake her up? I want to see her.” 

“Of course you can. I can’t imagine why she’d be upset.” Hwitaek smirks. He leads Hyojong to the bed where Hyuna lies, and watches as Hyojong sits down at the edge, just staring at her. He takes one of her hands and rubs his thumb across the back of it. 

“Hyuna,” he whispers. She stirs vaguely. Hyojong moves his hand up to caress Hyuna’s face. 

“Hyuna,” he says again, a little louder this time. Hyuna’s eyes fly open and find Hyojong’s. She stares. 

“Oh my god,” she says as she tries to sit up. 

“Don’t try to move to much,” Hyojong says. 

“Oh my god, Hyojong.” Hyuna says, sitting all the way up in bed. Hwitaek takes in the sight of them. Hyuna, with her hair a mess from sleep and her face so pale from fainting the night before. Hyojong, holding Hyuna’s hand in his and looking so grateful to see her.  _ This looks right, _ Hwitaek thinks. 

“Oh my god, Hyojong. Hui, come over hear. It’s Hyojong.” Hyuna repeats while gesturing for Hwitaek to join them on the bed. 

“I can see him,” Hwitaek smiles in reply as he sits on the bed next to Hyojong.  

“Hyuna, how are you feeling? Did you sleep well? I’m sorry for waking you.” Hyojong says. 

“Don’t you dare apologize for waking me up, Hyojong.” Says Hyuna as she draws Hyojong closer. With one arm wrapped around Hyojong and her face buried in his neck, she reaches her other arm out in Hwitaek’s direction, and he takes her hand without hesitation. 

“I’m so happy you’re okay, I was so worried about you. We both were.” Hyuna says. Hyojong smiles.

“You don’t have to worry anymore. I’m right here. I’m not leaving again.” Hyojong says firmly. He moves back and grabs Hyuna’s and Hwitaek’s hands, until they’re all linked and sitting on the bed. 

“So,” Hwitaek says. “Where to next?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you tell why im not totally satisfied? hwitaek's chapters are usually my fave to write but this one :// anyways there's gonna be 2-3 more chapters after this one, so look forward to it!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi

When Hyojong gets into the backseat of their car, its not for as long as it usually is. 

They decided to only drive a few towns over and then stop for the night. They’re in the car for less than an hour, which is an incredibly short amount of time compared to the average of four hours they usually spend driving. 

They have the radio on the whole time, Hyuna singing happily and Hwitaek smiling when he looks her way. 

Hyojong manages to sleep for about forty minutes, before the music and Hyuna’s voice pulls him out. Within a few minutes, Hwitaek pulls up in a motel parking lot. Hyuna and Hyojong wait in the car while he reserves a room.

“Hyojong,” Hyuna starts. “Come here.”

Hyojong unbuckles his seatbelt and leans into the front seats, face inches away from Hyuna’s. She closes the distance and kisses him, slow. 

Hyojong pulls back. 

“Not right now, Hyuna. I’m exhausted. The second Hui gets us a room I’m passing out.”

Hyuna studies Hyojong’s eyes. His expressive eyes, where his secrets are visible even with the color contacts. She can’t help but to feel a little hurt.

Hwitaek knocks on the car window, and both Hyuna and Hyojong turn to face him. He motions for them to get out of the car. 

“We’re all good,” Hwitaek says. “I told them we’d be here three nights. Asked about stores in the area, and there’s a conveniance store a few blocks away. Once we get our stuff to the room I’ll head over and grab some food.”

“Alright,” Hyuna says, pulling her bag out. They all head to their room.

It’s small, with only a single bed, as usual. Hyojong drops his bag on the floor and and moves to the bed without saying a word. He lies on top of the covers and closes his eyes.

Hwitaek looks at Hyuna, his face asking, What’s with him? While his mouth doesn’t move. Hyuna shrugs, and gestures for Hwitaek to leave the room. 

Hwitaek closes the door behind him, quietly.

Hyuna stares at Hyojong’s sleeping form with concern. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its been over a year since i started this and like 6 months since i updated. im going to try to finish this. thank you for reading.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> triple h comeback *cries* that and some nice comments i've recieved lately have motivated me to write the next chapter. thanks everyone for reading and support triple h's comeback!!!
> 
> this chapter contains mention of suicide, depression, and drug use. nothing bad or explicit, but if any of that bothers you just skip the chapter.

Hwitaek thinks he knows what’s wrong with Hyojong.

Even though he’s started this new relationship with Hyuna and Hyojong, he can’t forget how he first met them. Hyuna, her hands covered in blood, looking utterly lost and confused. Hwitaek had almost hit her with his car.

Hyuna was shocking, of course. Never had Hwitaek thought he would run into a girl with blood on her hands while he was trying to make an escape. He certainly didn’t think he would offer her a ride.

But Hyojong- Hyojong was worse. Hyojong had stepped into the street with perfect timing. He had skid across the road; still alive, but wishing he wasn’t. Hwitaek had seen that look too many times beforehand to miss it. He didn’t know why at the time, but he was filled with anger. Angry that he had almost killed someone on accident, angry that someone could feel the way Hyojong did to make him step in front of a speeding car, and angry at himself. Because he was a sucker for saving people, and Hyojong met all of the criteria. 

So Hwitaek thinks he knows what’s wrong with Hyojong. 

It had been weeks since they met, but Hwitaek knows depression doesn’t just disappear. Maybe Hyojong had been distracted by the initial thrill of being on the run that he hadn’t had time to consider being sad. Maybe meeting Hyuna and Hwitaek had made him hopeful again.

Whatever it was, Hyojong didn’t seem to feel it anymore.

_ That _ , Hwitaek considers, as he walks to the nearby convenience store,  _ and sobriety _ . Assuming Hyojong hadn’t been sneaking out to smoke weed in the middle of the night, he hadn’t used for a few weeks. Going from being high all the time to nothing at all was a huge difference, especially when getting high was a coping mechanism.

Before Hwitaek can think about all of his options, he ducks behind a building and starts walking down an alleyway. If he takes the long way to get there, Hwitaek knows he’ll run into someone willing to sell him weed before he gets to the store. 

And sure enough, another building down, is a group of people smoking. Teenagers, if Hwitaek had to guess. And he can smell the weed as he gets closer to the group. 

“Not a cop,” Hwitaek says, in lieu of a greeting. Only one guy wearing a beanie looks up at him, definitely too stoned to care too much. “Can anyone here sell me anything?”

“Sure man,” beanie-guy says. “How much ya looking to buy?”

“A gram.”

“Got enough cash for that?”

“Sure do,” Hwitaek says as he reaches into his pocket to grab some money. He holds out a few bills. “This enough?”

Beanie-guy looks at Hwitaek for a moment before reaching into his coat and bringing out a plastic bag.

“Fuck yeah, dude. Just take this.” He hands Hwitaek the bag and reaches for the money before turning back to his friends.

Hwitaek walks away, shoving the bag into his pocket. He heads back onto the main street and walks another block before getting to the store. He stocks up on food and drinks, throwing in a box of black hair dye, just incase.

Hwitaek pays and heads back to the motel. When he opens the door to their room, he can see both Hyojong and Hyuna resting on the bed. Hyojong looks asleep, but Hwitaek can tell Hyuna has been waiting for him. He puts his finger to his lips as he makes eye contact with Hyuna, and heads to Hyojong’s side of the bed. 

“Hyojongie,” Hwitaek says, shaking Hyojong’s shoulder. “I have something for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so glad people still like this. im sorry im so bad at updating and having a schedule. i make no promises about the timing of the next chapter lol, but thanks for reading!!


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